This application proposes a five-year educational program at Baylor College of Dentistry, Texas A and M University System, for Ms. Carolyn Kerins. This program will combine PhD studies in biomedical sciences with concurrent clinical training leading to a DDS Ms. Kerins' ultimate goal is a career in dental research and academic dentistry. Her research interests lie in endocrinology and temporomandibular joint disorders. A tentative research proposal is outlined, which will be modified as Ms. Kerins begins the research component of her training. The research will address hypotheses concerning the effects of corticosterone and estrogen on chronic TMJ inflammation. Specifically, the research will determine 1) if estrogen affects the inflammatory response to TMJ inflammation, 2) if presence, absence, concentration of corticosterone affects the inflammatory response to TMJ inflammation, and 3) if estrogen and corticosterone interact to modulate the intensity and sequelae of chronic TMJ inflammation. Techniques will include various surgical procedures, radioimmunoassays and hard tissue histology, and statistical analysis.